Chocolate Covered Peeps

Peeps Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallow is pretty much the biggest thing to happen to Peeps. Oh sure, they’ve dabbled with cocoa flavored Peeps or maybe put them inside a chocolate shell, but an actual chocolate dipped Peep made by Just Born is pretty revolutionary.

First thing, they’re singles and they’re individually wrapped. Other Peeps are sold in trays with more than one serving. So each one will be fresh and ready to eat. (This may or may not be a good thing, I’m not sure if Just Born is going to make Chocolate Covered Stale Peeps.)

I’m going to start with the dark chocolate covered version because that’s what I was attracted to first, but I also have the milk chocolate version. They’re nicely priced, I think the regular retail is about 80 cents, but I picked these up at RiteAid at two for a dollar.

(No, the Chocolate Peeps do not poop M&Ms ... that’s just there for scale, you silly goose.)

The big thing about Peeps in their chick format (not the bunny format) is that they sit upright. A standard array comes in a conjoined row of five weighing 1.5 ounces. In this case a single Peep is covered in chocolate and sits on its side. They’re huge but well detailed for a chocolate enrobed item. (Think about how hard it is to get details on the blanket covering something that’s extruded in the first place.)

Each piece is one ounce and biting into it answers several questions I had:

First, it’s a yellow Peep in there. Unlike a standard Peep which is only colored on the outside sugar crust, this Peep has coloring all the way through the marshmallow. (Not really something I’m fond of, in fact, I prefer the Ghost Peeps for Halloween which have no artificial colorings.)

Second, there is no sugar crust. It’s just a skinless Peep covered in chocolate.

The dark chocolate coating isn’t a terribly complex chocolate or even that dark (there’s no percentage on the package). It has milk fat in it (but it’s not like we had any hopes that a chocolate covered marshmallow was going to be vegan, did we?). The shell is rather thin, perhaps a little thicker than I’m accustomed to with the Russell Stover versions.

The marshmallow texture is airy and far lighter and less latexy than I experience with Peeps. I can put my tongue through it in my mouth, kind of like a smooth sugary foam instead of a marshmallow.

It’s sweet of course but not grainy. The dark chocolate has a bittersweet and dry quality to it that helps round out the fake vanilla flavoring.

The Peeps Milk Chocolate Covered Marshmallow comes in a bright yellow wrapper (kind of violating the unspoken industry standard that blue is milk chocolate). It was extremely easy to spot when I first walked into RiteAid, so they can definitely say that the package fits the brand.

The interesting thing that I noticed about the ingredients is that it doesn’t seem that these are just your regular individual Peeps run through an enrober. These appear to be a different formula. The marshmallow portion goes like this: Sugar, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, whey (milk), gelatin, cocoa processed with alkali, and less than .5% of the following: invertase, natural and artificial flavors, soy lecithin, yellow #5 and potassium sorbate.

The sweetness and moistness of the marshmallow is even more noticeable over the dark chocolate version. The milk chocolate shell has some good dairy notes, but it isn’t quite as creamy as I would have liked. The good thing is that it held together well, I didn’t have big flakes coming off as I bit into the fluffy marshmallow.

The texture differences were rather minor here, not at all like the ordinary sugar crust but not enough of a contrast to provide added interest.

Mostly I found the milk chocolate version too sweet though the fake vanilla was actually kind of fun - like a White Toostie Roll is fun for a while and then I realize that there is food out there with real flavor.

I don’t quite understand why they had to make them yellow inside, I think a lot of parents might have preferred them to leave out the Yellow #5.

I know that many bakeries, candy stores and fudge shops have been dipping Peeps and offering them to their customers for many years, so this version may be a bit of an adjustment and some may prefer the inner sugar crusting.

The package says that they may contain peanuts, tree nuts, egg and coconut - in addition to the ingredients soy and gelatin. They are gluten free.

Hi!
Strangely, the one I had the other day was white inside, not yellow. I wonder if I got a dud? If I get a chance, I’ll return to the same store and get another one to see (purely in the interest of research, mind you).
In the tradition of all great marshmallow candies (i.e. Elmer’s Heavenly Hash), I found it best frozen.
Ciao,
Amy

Amy - That does sound kind of strange. The dark chocolate one that’s pictured was given to me by Just Born way back in October. I bought another dark one last week plus two milk and they were all yellow inside.

I tried one of these this weekend. The marshmallow is definitely softer than that in a peep, more like what you find in a Mallomar cookie, but the chocolate was a “chocolatey” coating, grainy, dry, not very good.

I agree with whoever said that they’ll stick with the Russell Stover Eggs.

I’m glad you reviewed this today because I just picked up a milk chocolate covered peep at Target yesterday for 99 cents, yikes! I was very disappointed with the yellow marshmallow inside, so much that it went right in the trash can! The yellow coloring must have given it the undeniable bad taste. As for texture, its chocolate helped retain too much moisture for its own good; way too soft in my opinion. I’m quite sure they tested dipping a regular peep in milk chocolate, wonder why they didn’t just stick with that? If someone from Just Born is reading, how would you reply?

Strange. We had earlier versions of these that were on sale at National Harbor months ago. They were fantastic and not yellow inside. Way better than the Russel Stover’s IMHO. Perhaps they had to change them for some reason and the new ones aren’t as good? I still have some of the older ones left. Will have to do a side-by-side taste test with the new yellow ones. I’m sure my wife will love the idea, all in the name of science.

So I actually saw sugar free Peeps in a store last night and I have to say I’m befuddled. How does a candy that is pretty much nothing but sugar made into squishy candy and covered in sugar become “sugar-free”? And the disturbing thing was, it was coated in some sort of sugar-like substance but no mention of Splenda or anything like that. I was much too afraid to try them, especially when the package warned of a “mild laxative effect” when consumed. Thoughts?

I went back to the store and purchased another chocolate-covered Peep, but this one was indeed yellow inside. But I did it, for science!
In other marshmallow news, I actually managed to find an Elmer’s Heavenly Hash egg outside of my hometown of New Orleans (they are my absolute favorite Easter candy), and put that in the freezer. Hands down, the best!
Ciao,
Amy

Yumm… I got one of these the other day, they are only 2 Weight Watchers points since I am on a diet, so I counted it into my day. SO GOOD! I couldn’t find the dark chocolate ones anywhere , so sad….. And I don’t even like milk chocolate, but these were good!

I thought it was great !!! I love dark chocolate and the peep inside was so smooth and tasted wonderful. I usually eat my peeps stale but this was better fresh. I did have it in the ,fridge for a couple of days before I ate it. Where can I get more now that Easter is over they appear to all be gone?? The clerk at Walgreen’s said they couldn’t keep them in once people tried them.

I was SO excited when I saw these in the store. I make my own chocolate covered peeps by dipping them in my favorite chocolate and letting them firm up in the fridge(so good-yum!). So naturally I couldn’t wait to try these. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! Absolutely VILE! I couldn’t even finish one. I’m a loyal peep-a-holic,but I’ll stick to making my own.

The clerk at the local drugstore swore that these were the best things ever, so naturally I had to buy one. Ok, I had to buy 5, one for every member of the family (which always works in my favor since the spouse doesn’t like chocolate - more for me!). At any rate, we tried both the dark and milk chocolate versions…YUCK! My kids wouldn’t even finish. I managed to finish both of mine, but what a waste of calories!

I bought the milk chocolate covered ones for Easter for ths first time. My 4 year old who is a chocoholic like her mom would not finish hers. I agree with Guy on 8/27/10. YUCK! Thes are gross. The chocolate is horrible and the marshmallow is not the same as a Peep. I prefer my Peeps stale but still like fresh ones as well. Don’t waste your money on these.

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